Marrow Minded

Photo © Rob Jones

To say that Marrows have been on my mind for some time is an understatement.

I always want to make the world better. And right the wrongs of the past.

Marrow, as cooked by my mother when I was little, was VERY WRONG.

Stuffed Marrow would appear on the menu from time to time. Pale lamb mince inside a casing of hollowed out Marrow, bound tightly with string and then boiled. The result was always a very pale and insipid, watery ‘thing.’

I would gingerly eat the meat, and push the watery marrow to the one side.

All through my life I have pondered - there must be more to Marrow than this! Surely?

At this moment… you might expect me to change direction of flow, and say… readers, I have discovered a cornucopia of Marrow recipes which promote it to the upper echalons of the vegetable world.

But I haven’t.

Most Marrow recipes seem to set out from the premise that its true nature should be stifled and hidden from view… like mad Bertha Mason, trussed up in a strait jacket and kept in the attic of Thornfield Hall - to remain a mystery to Jane Eyre.

I did find one however that went down very well as an accompaniment to some lamb koftas.

It’s based on a Nigel Slater recipe.

Take one Marrow. Peel it. Dice it. Brown it off in some olive oil in a sturdy pan.

Add some garlic and spring onions, finely chopped. I found some left over boiled potatoes from last night too. Swoosh them about a bit. Add a handful of frozen peas.

Add about 300ml of vegetable stock and let it simmer away until the vegetables begin to look as though they are losing their form.

I served this on a bed of fresh egg pasta, and plonked the kofta kebabs on top.

It had the texture almost of a lentil dal. I can imagine it being slightly spicy, but it was fine as it was.

I felt good about making a Marrow taste good. But it was still that feeling a little like that relative you barely know who turns up once in a blue moon, gives you a shilling and expects you to kiss her on the cheek.

RJ